Thursday Roundup: Twitter Tips

May 16th, 2013 | Shonali Burke | 5 Comments

Twitter FollowerSocial media platforms will come and go; but I truly believe that if any recent platform has had a dramatic impact on how we communicate, it’s Twitter. And even if it “goes away” at some point, what it’s taught us about two- and multi-way communication, not to mention brevity, is remarkable.

An admitted Twitterholic (or, at least, I used to be… I’m not on the platform that much these days, but it’s still my favorite), here are some fresh takes on Twitter, at least, according to me.

Image: Pasquale D’Silva [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

1. 6 Tips to Grow Your Twitter Followers

Why: From choosing the correct profile picture to using hashtags correctly, Daniel Sharkov, guest-posting for Jeff Bullas, provides practical advice to gaining more Twitter followers, if that’s what floats your boat.

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How Indian Politicians are Using Google+ Hangouts

April 19th, 2013 | Ancita Satija | 26 Comments

Man Fishing

“Would you like to hang out with me this evening?”

Indeed, all of you may have been asked this question by your friends and family. But Google has completely changed the way we “hang out” with our near and dear ones.

With the advent of Google+ (G+) multi-party video chats or Hangouts, not only can we now hang out with our friends and family, but, if we like, with the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, or the President of the country.

Image: SatishAcharya via Google, CC 3.0

Interesting, isn’t it?

It seems governments and their agencies and organizations have understood how powerful social media can be (Facebook, Twitter, G+) for engaging with citizens, seeking feedback, creating awareness on different initiatives, and creating a participatory model of governance.

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18 Tweetable Twitter Tips for Newbies

March 18th, 2013 | Shonali Burke | 47 Comments

Twitter whaleFor those of us who’ve been using Twitter for a while, we sometimes forget that there are new adopters of the network every day. Trying to figure out Twitter back in the day was bad enough; can you imagine what it’s like these days?

So here are 18 tweetable Twitter tips for newbies (check out that alliteration!). They include tips on how to get set up with, and use smartly, a social network I still love.

And I’ve also included a “tweet this” link for a Twitter-friendly version of each tip (hence the “tweetability”). So if you particularly like some, perhaps you wouldn’t mind sharing?

1. Use a real photo of yourself for your avatar. (I know, sounds like a d’uh moment, but you’d be surprised). <tweet this>

2. Make sure your avatar is “SFW” (safe for work… and yes, you’d be surprised again). <tweet this>

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